The Ministry of Information Freezes the Activity of Al-Jazeera Channel until Further Notice
23 May 2010
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its great concern regarding the extreme deterioration in freedom of opinion and expression, and which was lately represented in the Ministry of Culture and Information suspending the activities of Al-Jazeera Channel in Bahrain.
The Ministry of Information Freezes the Activity of Al-Jazeera Channel until Further Notice
23 May 2010
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its great concern regarding the extreme deterioration in freedom of opinion and expression, and which was lately represented in the Ministry of Culture and Information suspending the activities of Al-Jazeera Channel in Bahrain. The Ministry of Culture and Information justified this decision that the Qatari channel did not respect the professional rules and did not conform to laws governing the press sector, explaining that this decision will remain in force until a memorandum of understanding is reached that shall define the relation between the government of Bahrain and Al-Jazeera Channel.
A statement released by the Bahrain News Agency[i][1] on Tuesday 18 May 2010, confirmed that the Ministry of Culture and Information made a decision to temporarily freeze the activity of the office of the Qatari Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel in Bahrain, for the Channel’s breach of the professional norm and not adhering to the laws and procedures governing the press, printing and publishing, and that suspending the activity of the Channel will continue until an agreement is reached on a memorandum of understanding defining the relation between the Ministry and the Channel, which maintains the rights of both parties according to the principle of reciprocity in the practice of journalism and media in two countries.
Al-Jazeera Channel had broadcasted at 5:30 pm on Monday 17 May 2010 an episode among the “economy and people” weekly program about poverty in the GCC countries and amid it a short documentary film about Bahrain, where the Minister of Social Development and a number of poor families in Bahrain were interviewed[ii][2]. The film shows the great inequality between the rich minority and poor majority.
While a large portion of Bahrain’s population lives at or below poverty level, the topic of poverty is one of the matters that are considered forbidden to address, and the Bahraini authorities attempt to conceal it from the outside world, it is quite sensitive towards even mentioning it and refuses that any TV channel or civil institute discusses it. Bahrain had already expressed its resentment towards the American channel CNN due to it broadcasting a film about poverty in Bahrain[iii][3] in June 2007. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights was also closed down in September 2004 and its executive director was imprisoned as a result of holding a public symposium at Al-Aruba Club, where BCHR released a report and documentary about poverty in Bahrain[iv][4]. Bahrain’s population is divided between an extremely rich minority and who are members of the ruling family or the ones surrounding them and between a poor majority which can hardly get food for a day from the assistance provided by the charitable funds or Ministry of Social Development.
The Bahraini authorities practice restricting the foreign channels and news agency and its correspondents in Bahrain through the Department of Foreign Media, and which is part of the Ministry of Information in terms of form only, while it really operates as part of the National Security Apparatus (Intelligence). This department is currently headed by Sheikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, the former vice-president of this security apparatus, while its former president is Sheikh Khalifa bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa, the current president of the National Security Apparatus, both being from the ruling family.
The BCHR considers this ban decision or demanding Al-Jazeera Channel to discuss the memorandum of understanding with the government of Bahrain as lying down more stringent restrictions on this Channel just like the rest of the channels and agencies and their correspondents working in Bahrain, and which lead to the dominance of the Bahraini security authorities and maintaining its control over the media sector and excluding all the programs that do not coincide with its policy.
It is noted that while Bahrain is going through politically, economically and security-wise tense circumstances between the ruling regime and a wide spectrum of the Bahraini citizens and opposition forces, marked by human rights violations referred to by most news agencies or foreign channels and international organizations Al-Jazeera Channel, on the other hand rarely transmits any news about these tensions or human rights violations which are taking place on a daily basis in Bahrain and it has avoided mentioning it. It is believed, that this is due to the Channel’s precautions from negatively affecting the relation of Qatar which is the host country of this channel with its neighbour, Bahrain. Whilst this Channel fails to convey issues of Bahrain, it has gained wide popularity among the citizens of Bahrain which exceeds the viewers of the national television of Bahrain, which has become a place of contempt and regret of people in the local newspapers.
The Bahraini authorities’ persistence of restricting the media institutions contradicts its commitments as a member in the Human Rights Council and a party in numerous international conventions and covenants, on top of them the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights especially Article 19, which states, “Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice”.
The BCHR recommends:
– Lifting the imposed ban from the activity of Al-Jazeera Channel and permit the channel’s staff to enter Bahrain
– Adjust the laws regulating these foreign channels and news agencies in such manner that guarantees its neutrality and independence.
[i][1] Bahrain News Agency BNA
[ii][2] Alwasat news
[iii][3] Poverty in Bahrain on CNN [Video]
[iv][4] Poverty in Bahrain documentary (BCHR) [Video]
